Ever notice how some animals are sort of viewed by the hobby as…well…Man, I hate to use the phrase, but kinda…expendable? or maybe, “predictably temporary?”
Yikes, that sounds so harsh, but I think you may understand what I’m getting at here. I mean, there are some animals that you can add to your reef that are simply “programmed” to…vanish…without a trace. And I’m not talking just about that rare Tunicate or the odd “micro seahorse” hitchhiker you found on that maricultured Gorgonian from the South Pacific. Oh, no- we’re talking about animals that are rather common in the trade…for whatever reason, they seem to follow an almost predetermined path to their own end…weird, right?
My friend (and UC’s Director of Wholesale Operations), Dave Botwin (o2manyfish) calls these “doinkers”- fishes that tend to just be there one day and mysteriously gone the next. Perfect name for them, actually. I think Bob Fenner used to call ‘em “Aqua Popcorn”- same thing, different expression…Animals that are seemingly there and alive one minute, then vanishing like this month’s favorite Vine "celebrity" the next..Generally without a trace or clue.
Here, in no particular order, are some of the most common “predictably temporary” fishes I’ve personally encountered- no doubt you have many more..it’s your job to continue this list as you see fit:
Green Chromis: These are pretty much the “poster child” for vanishing fish. You start out with like 6-8 in your reef, and they form an impressive little shoal…for like 3 days. Then, without any reason…they start to vanish. They just freakin’ disappear, right? I mean, you wake up one morning, and there are 5 of ‘em…and then 4, and then…Eventually, you’ll just end up with one or two…interestingly, in a strange twist on teen slasher movie-style plots, often the weakest-looking, most meek ones seem to survive. Really, who maintains a school of like 12 of them for two or three years, never having to bring in replacements? Oh, sure there are probably a few of you out there, but for most of us, they’re an enigma. I hate these fish.
Firefish: C’mon, everyone loves them, but they are another one of those fishes that just sort of “fade to black” over time…And I don’t know how long you manage to keep them. Doesn’t matter which species, either: The pretty-much regulation-issue N. magnifica or the pretty N. decora…or even the pricy N. helfrichii. They just…fade. Sure, they seem to establish themselves just fine, finding a “bolt hole” in your reef to retreat to when they are freaked out (which, if you’re a Firefish, is kind of often, actually). They seem to hang on for a long time, looking and acting great, and then one day “Sparky” the Firefish (everyone names theirs- you do, too- admit it) just sort of disappears, failing to emerge from his hole when the mysis is dropped in the tank at the usual time. Bizarre. But predictable.
Yellow Clown Goby: Ohh, another one guaranteed to just “bail” on you…The “Cardinal Tetra of the reef world.” You add a few of the little cuties with the best of intentions to your reef. They provide the occasional bit of comic relief for everyone as they hop around over your corals for a few weeks…then it happens. They check out immediately, like a vendor on the last day of MACNA who sold all of their frags…gone. And they don’t ever turn up. And let’s mention one thing: No one can tell me with any degree of certainty whether or not the little freaks much on your “SPS” corals. “Expert” or otherwise- no hobbyist I know has 100% certainty about this. Yet we keep them- year after year- and they’re only a few bucks, so we replace them when they vanish…wondering what they’re up to…
Pipefish: (“Dragon Face, “Banded”, “Blue Stripe”…whatever): They’re all kind of the same in this regard. I love Pipefishes. I really do. And for a dedicated display, they are pretty cool. Interesting behaviors, slow swimming, cool colors, and that small mouth…A near guarantee for them to…vanish under perhaps not-so-mysterious circumstances. I mean, they just sort of are there. Seemingly doing their Pipefish thing without a care; do they actually eat anything? I mean, like, ever? They just seem to be picking at stuff. And just when you think you’re the ONE reefer who can keep a Pipe long-term in your reef…see ya. Gone. Just doesn’t emerge one day. Now, interestingly, this is the ONE fish that will occasionally defy the odds and just emerge from the rocks several month after the initial “vanishing”, seemingly without a care in the world. A tough bunch of fishes to pass up, because unlike the others on this list, they are really cool! They’re heartbreakers nonetheless.
Dragonets: Okay, like ANY variety, from the sexy Mandarin right on down to the lowly “Scooter”- these are virtually the ultimate “programmed destruction” fishes, in my book. “I have a ton of pods in my tank” I used to hear reefers say. Doesn’t mean anything, IMHO. They appear to pick at..something…as they begin their near instant decline into oblivion. Sure, you’ll catch the occasional one hopping around on the rock, apparently picking at…something. And this goes on for months..And they always look emaciated- on the verge of death…Sure, you’ll get the occasional fat, super hardy one that lives for a long time (we had a Mandarin in one of our raceways at UC that lived for a couple of years- fattest one ever..), but most of them check in, and check out soon after. These fishes have the annoying and sad “habit” of practically being hit in the head with a piece of the right-sized food( often painstakingly placed their via pipette by a desperate reefer in a last-ditch effort to get ‘em to eat), only to literally hobble right past the food, as if it has somewhere else to be..and it usually does: That "big reef tank in the sky."
Okay, so there are my "Top 5":
Man, I hate to think about it in these terms, but it’s almost like these fish are “activated carbon” or a “filter sock” for a lot of reefers: They are cheap, have a very finite “service lifetime”, and are always available. Easy to replace. Sad to speak of living creatures like this, but it’s true. There is a reason why most of these are relatively “inexpensive”, as fishes go…although I wonder how they fell into this category in the first place? Perhaps they are so abundant and easy to catch in their wild environments that they are…taken for granted. Nah. That NEVER happens in the aquarium world, right?
Why do they vanish? Well, the reason or theories behind the reasons are many. IMHO, the most common reasons are the usual ones: Many of these are fishes that are recklessly caught (hopefully by net, but not always the case), poorly handled and fed along the chain of custody from reef to store, and in such weakened condition upon arrival at the LFS or vendor that they’re barely viable by the time the hapless (?) hobbyist gets ‘em. And of course, no one seems to quarantine anything these days, right- so they never have the chance to “fatten up” or recover from the rigors of their journey before being placed into a reef tank with all sorts of competitors, dangers, and challenges…Many are not strong swimmers or aggressive feeders. It’s literally “sink or swim” for many of these poor animals. Sure, some make seemingly good recoveries and settle in…for a bit.
Problem is, most of these fishes are so weak- perhaps (as in the car of Dragonets) dealing with intestinal parasites, or even the after-effects of chemical collection processes- that there is little more they can do than “rally” for a while before taking their cue and exiting.
Sad.
Now, some ARE handled well. And they eat at the LFS…and perhaps even in your tank. But they still take “the Stairway to Heaven”, as one of my fish-geek friends calls it- and bail quickly…or sooner, rather than later, at least. Why?
Who knows? Yet, each year, countless thousands of these types of fishes are sold…And the ones mentioned here are just some of the more common ones..There are thousands and thousands of fishes of different species that could easily fall into this “class”, so it’s not that unusual.
What can you do to help avoid this? Well, you could simply not buy any. Not the popular solution. Or you could quarantine them for a few weeks before adding them to your reef (even less popular). Or, you could just “dump and pray”, and hope that you have the one in a million Green Chromis group that makes it through the long term like a contestant in a reality show.
So, the fact that they mysteriously vanish is not reason enough for a guy like me to replace them over and over again, regardless of the moral or ethical implications of doing so. It’s a challenge. So, if you’re gonna play the “doinker” game, consider doing all that you can to ensure success…specifically, selecting carefully, and employing some form of longer-term acclimation/quarantine…end maybe, in the case of Dragonets, some sort of anti-parasitic purging of their digestive system…much has been written on these topics.
In the mean time, it IS sort of funny, in a dark sort of way, to “laugh through our tears” about the absurdly predictable path many of the fishes mentioned in this piece take! Sort of therapeautic, and I know many of you have some funny stories and anecdotes to share on the topic.
So, let’s lighten the mood, (after giving due consideration to how to get better outcomes, of course) and let’s hear your thoughts about and additions to the fishes on this list!
Until next time…stay positive. Stay contemplative. Stay generous. Stay humorous.
And Stay Wet.
Scott Fellman
Yikes, that sounds so harsh, but I think you may understand what I’m getting at here. I mean, there are some animals that you can add to your reef that are simply “programmed” to…vanish…without a trace. And I’m not talking just about that rare Tunicate or the odd “micro seahorse” hitchhiker you found on that maricultured Gorgonian from the South Pacific. Oh, no- we’re talking about animals that are rather common in the trade…for whatever reason, they seem to follow an almost predetermined path to their own end…weird, right?
My friend (and UC’s Director of Wholesale Operations), Dave Botwin (o2manyfish) calls these “doinkers”- fishes that tend to just be there one day and mysteriously gone the next. Perfect name for them, actually. I think Bob Fenner used to call ‘em “Aqua Popcorn”- same thing, different expression…Animals that are seemingly there and alive one minute, then vanishing like this month’s favorite Vine "celebrity" the next..Generally without a trace or clue.
Here, in no particular order, are some of the most common “predictably temporary” fishes I’ve personally encountered- no doubt you have many more..it’s your job to continue this list as you see fit:
Green Chromis: These are pretty much the “poster child” for vanishing fish. You start out with like 6-8 in your reef, and they form an impressive little shoal…for like 3 days. Then, without any reason…they start to vanish. They just freakin’ disappear, right? I mean, you wake up one morning, and there are 5 of ‘em…and then 4, and then…Eventually, you’ll just end up with one or two…interestingly, in a strange twist on teen slasher movie-style plots, often the weakest-looking, most meek ones seem to survive. Really, who maintains a school of like 12 of them for two or three years, never having to bring in replacements? Oh, sure there are probably a few of you out there, but for most of us, they’re an enigma. I hate these fish.
Firefish: C’mon, everyone loves them, but they are another one of those fishes that just sort of “fade to black” over time…And I don’t know how long you manage to keep them. Doesn’t matter which species, either: The pretty-much regulation-issue N. magnifica or the pretty N. decora…or even the pricy N. helfrichii. They just…fade. Sure, they seem to establish themselves just fine, finding a “bolt hole” in your reef to retreat to when they are freaked out (which, if you’re a Firefish, is kind of often, actually). They seem to hang on for a long time, looking and acting great, and then one day “Sparky” the Firefish (everyone names theirs- you do, too- admit it) just sort of disappears, failing to emerge from his hole when the mysis is dropped in the tank at the usual time. Bizarre. But predictable.
Yellow Clown Goby: Ohh, another one guaranteed to just “bail” on you…The “Cardinal Tetra of the reef world.” You add a few of the little cuties with the best of intentions to your reef. They provide the occasional bit of comic relief for everyone as they hop around over your corals for a few weeks…then it happens. They check out immediately, like a vendor on the last day of MACNA who sold all of their frags…gone. And they don’t ever turn up. And let’s mention one thing: No one can tell me with any degree of certainty whether or not the little freaks much on your “SPS” corals. “Expert” or otherwise- no hobbyist I know has 100% certainty about this. Yet we keep them- year after year- and they’re only a few bucks, so we replace them when they vanish…wondering what they’re up to…
Pipefish: (“Dragon Face, “Banded”, “Blue Stripe”…whatever): They’re all kind of the same in this regard. I love Pipefishes. I really do. And for a dedicated display, they are pretty cool. Interesting behaviors, slow swimming, cool colors, and that small mouth…A near guarantee for them to…vanish under perhaps not-so-mysterious circumstances. I mean, they just sort of are there. Seemingly doing their Pipefish thing without a care; do they actually eat anything? I mean, like, ever? They just seem to be picking at stuff. And just when you think you’re the ONE reefer who can keep a Pipe long-term in your reef…see ya. Gone. Just doesn’t emerge one day. Now, interestingly, this is the ONE fish that will occasionally defy the odds and just emerge from the rocks several month after the initial “vanishing”, seemingly without a care in the world. A tough bunch of fishes to pass up, because unlike the others on this list, they are really cool! They’re heartbreakers nonetheless.
Dragonets: Okay, like ANY variety, from the sexy Mandarin right on down to the lowly “Scooter”- these are virtually the ultimate “programmed destruction” fishes, in my book. “I have a ton of pods in my tank” I used to hear reefers say. Doesn’t mean anything, IMHO. They appear to pick at..something…as they begin their near instant decline into oblivion. Sure, you’ll catch the occasional one hopping around on the rock, apparently picking at…something. And this goes on for months..And they always look emaciated- on the verge of death…Sure, you’ll get the occasional fat, super hardy one that lives for a long time (we had a Mandarin in one of our raceways at UC that lived for a couple of years- fattest one ever..), but most of them check in, and check out soon after. These fishes have the annoying and sad “habit” of practically being hit in the head with a piece of the right-sized food( often painstakingly placed their via pipette by a desperate reefer in a last-ditch effort to get ‘em to eat), only to literally hobble right past the food, as if it has somewhere else to be..and it usually does: That "big reef tank in the sky."
Okay, so there are my "Top 5":
Man, I hate to think about it in these terms, but it’s almost like these fish are “activated carbon” or a “filter sock” for a lot of reefers: They are cheap, have a very finite “service lifetime”, and are always available. Easy to replace. Sad to speak of living creatures like this, but it’s true. There is a reason why most of these are relatively “inexpensive”, as fishes go…although I wonder how they fell into this category in the first place? Perhaps they are so abundant and easy to catch in their wild environments that they are…taken for granted. Nah. That NEVER happens in the aquarium world, right?
Why do they vanish? Well, the reason or theories behind the reasons are many. IMHO, the most common reasons are the usual ones: Many of these are fishes that are recklessly caught (hopefully by net, but not always the case), poorly handled and fed along the chain of custody from reef to store, and in such weakened condition upon arrival at the LFS or vendor that they’re barely viable by the time the hapless (?) hobbyist gets ‘em. And of course, no one seems to quarantine anything these days, right- so they never have the chance to “fatten up” or recover from the rigors of their journey before being placed into a reef tank with all sorts of competitors, dangers, and challenges…Many are not strong swimmers or aggressive feeders. It’s literally “sink or swim” for many of these poor animals. Sure, some make seemingly good recoveries and settle in…for a bit.
Problem is, most of these fishes are so weak- perhaps (as in the car of Dragonets) dealing with intestinal parasites, or even the after-effects of chemical collection processes- that there is little more they can do than “rally” for a while before taking their cue and exiting.
Sad.
Now, some ARE handled well. And they eat at the LFS…and perhaps even in your tank. But they still take “the Stairway to Heaven”, as one of my fish-geek friends calls it- and bail quickly…or sooner, rather than later, at least. Why?
Who knows? Yet, each year, countless thousands of these types of fishes are sold…And the ones mentioned here are just some of the more common ones..There are thousands and thousands of fishes of different species that could easily fall into this “class”, so it’s not that unusual.
What can you do to help avoid this? Well, you could simply not buy any. Not the popular solution. Or you could quarantine them for a few weeks before adding them to your reef (even less popular). Or, you could just “dump and pray”, and hope that you have the one in a million Green Chromis group that makes it through the long term like a contestant in a reality show.
So, the fact that they mysteriously vanish is not reason enough for a guy like me to replace them over and over again, regardless of the moral or ethical implications of doing so. It’s a challenge. So, if you’re gonna play the “doinker” game, consider doing all that you can to ensure success…specifically, selecting carefully, and employing some form of longer-term acclimation/quarantine…end maybe, in the case of Dragonets, some sort of anti-parasitic purging of their digestive system…much has been written on these topics.
In the mean time, it IS sort of funny, in a dark sort of way, to “laugh through our tears” about the absurdly predictable path many of the fishes mentioned in this piece take! Sort of therapeautic, and I know many of you have some funny stories and anecdotes to share on the topic.
So, let’s lighten the mood, (after giving due consideration to how to get better outcomes, of course) and let’s hear your thoughts about and additions to the fishes on this list!
Until next time…stay positive. Stay contemplative. Stay generous. Stay humorous.
And Stay Wet.
Scott Fellman
